Jen Cudmore's Blog, page 25

Resource: Crazy Love

“In a world where hundreds of things distract us from God, we have to intentionally and consistently remind ourselves of Him.”

A friend from work recently introduced me to a book called Crazy Love by Francis Chan. The book didn’t sound interesting, but once I started reading, it gripped me from the first chapter.

I love how he makes the reader pause and really consider God’s creation! I am so guilty of taking this place for granted. He also challenges the reader to identify if we really, truly love God. He discusses what it means to be lukewarm, which the Scripture warns against.

There are so many great quotes from this book, I’ll just share a few more. I highly recommend this one for anyone who wants to grow in their faith!

“We need to stop living selfish lives, forgetful of our God.”

“As much as we want God to explain himself to us, His creation, we are in no place to demand that He give an account to us.”

“God allowed hard things in your life so you can show the world that your God is great and that knowing Him brings peace and joy, even when life is hard.”

“Has your relationship with God actually changed the way you live?”

“Following Christ isn’t something that can be done halfheartedly or on the side… It must be central to everything we do and are.”

“True love requires sacrifice. And our love is shown by how we live our lives.”

“God doesn’t call us to be comfortable. He calls us to trust Him so completely that we are unafraid to put ourselves in situations where we will be in trouble if He doesn’t come through.”

“Before you say one word to God, take a minute and imagine what it would be like to stand before his throne as you pray.”

Does something deep inside your heart long to break free from the status quo? Are you hungry for an authentic faith that addresses the problems of our world with tangible, even radical, solutions? God is calling you to a passionate love relationship with Himself. Because the answer to religious complacency isn’t working harder at a list of do’s and don’ts — it’s falling in love with God. And once you encounter His love, as Francis describes it, you will never be the same.

 

Mom in the Mirror

I joined another Blog Tour! The tour doesn’t officially begin until June, but there are some related items I thought you might be interested in.

Jenny Sulpizio is the author of a new book called Confessions of a Wonder Woman Wannabe.  I’ve just ordered it, so I can’t tell you much about it other than it looks like a good read!

Jenny’s goal is to encourage moms. Her site says: As a self-proclaimed (and slightly crazed) Wonder Woman Wannabe herself, Jenny is a Christian wife and mother to three amazing kiddos. After hanging up her star-spangled bloomers (and that restrictive red corset) a few years back, Jenny now spends most of her “spare” time dishing out the latest in tips, hints, and practical advice when it comes to guiding other mommies through the trenches of motherhood. And when she isn’t cooking, cleaning, starting her latest load of laundry, or attempting to raise her kids right (as in manner-possessing, respectful, God-loving little tikes), Jenny can usually be found writing about it instead.

This week on her blog she is talking about Mom in the Mirror, A Five Day Challenge for Facing Your Struggles and Finding Your Strengths. She will discuss the reflections of: an angry mom, a guilty mom, a competitive mom, an over-committed mom, and an exhausted mom.

Here is the link to the initial post: Mom in the Mirror

She’ll put up one each day this week, so be sure to follow them – I know you’ll be encouraged!

  

From Being Positive to Celebration

We all know a positive attitude is powerful. Some of us are better at it than others, and those who really focus become quite successful.

Abraham Lincoln – lost several elections before becoming President of the US.

Michael Jordan – cut from his HS basketball team, became one of the greatest athletes

Beethoven – deaf as a child and yet still composed some of the most beautiful music

Helen Keller – blind, deaf & mute, yet taught herself how to talk and became a motivational speaker

The Wright Brothers – told multiple times that man would never fly (no one believed in them) but they still succeeded in building a plane

Henry Ford – practically illiterate, went bankrupt twice and yet built a huge car manufacturing company

Bethany Hamilton – became a professional surfer despite losing one arm to a shark at age 13

These people, and many others, were successful because they didn’t quit when they had setbacks. They didn’t give up during times of doubt, but stayed focused and determined.

But what about taking it one more step beyond being positive?

In a video I watched the other day, the speaker encouraged those of us in the class to do more than stay positive on the good in life. He said to celebrate every accomplishment. Literally. After the birth of a child, the family celebrates every aspect of life: first haircut, first teeth, first steps, first words. What if we apply that concept to the rest of life?

Watching that video made me think of my new health plan, where I’ve incorporated more exercise and less junk food. I’ve only lost a few pounds over the past four months, but I found I was most successful when I got excited.

To express my pride at the results, I would occasionally walk through the office at work with my hands raised. “I just lost another pound! I’m awesome.” Of course, they mostly just rolled their eyes at me, but they always encouraged me, and that helped me stay motivated.

Since I really don’t prefer to drink water, my bestie sent me a couple text messages “You love water!” Then my daughter caught on and did the same. Guess what? It helped me stay focused on drinking more water.

I certainly see the benefit of getting excited and celebrating the little things, no matter how small. To enjoy life, we have to intentionally delight in the small accomplishments.

What have you accomplished lately? Get excited and go celebrate!

 

2014 Prayers: The Bible, God’s Holy Word

Theme: Spiritual Growth

“Thank You God for the Bible; through Your law I have understanding & wisdom. Your word is a lamp to my feet & a light to my path (Psalm 119:105) & I will hide Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You (Psalm 119:11).

“Help me to meditate on Your holy word daily so I’m constantly reminded to do what it says (Josh 1:8). I want to attend Your words, keeping them in my heart, for they are life & health, & will keep my heart diligent (Prov 4:20-23). Don’t let the book of the law depart from my mouth; help me to meditate on it day & night so I may observe to do according to all that is written (Josh 1:8).”

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For more encouraging prayers, click here to see what’s been posted recently.

Encouraging Links 04-17-14

Good morning! This has been a much better week. As I suspect many of you are doing this Holy Week, I’ve been meditating more on my Savior and His incredible sacrifice.

I’ve accomplished a lot these past several days. I finished a rough draft over the weekend, I’ve gained over 50 Twitter followers in 2 weeks, and my sister had a baby! I love busy when busy is GOOD!

Here are some links you may find encouraging.

The day I lost my smile:  “God has entrusted you with your life, your loved ones, your unique challenges because you are perfectly equipped for it all.”

If you’re feeling overlooked and unappreciated: “Overlooked by everyone else. Handpicked by God.”

How to Instantly Get Your Love In Tune: “Music activates parts of the brain that trigger happiness… [and] causes our brain to fire off with delight. A mini celebration ensues. So what can you do to bring more of these musical celebrations into your relationship?”

Maturing in Prayer: “prayer is talking with God. It’s getting close to and spending time with the One you love. It’s seeking Him first, getting to know Him better, being with Him and waiting in His presence.”

Why some couples are happier than others: In a recent study: “Couples who reported a high amount of generosity in their relationship were five times more likely to say their marriage was “very happy,” compared with those who reported a low amount of generosity.”

Affirming is more than words: “I didn’t remind him … I didn’t micromanage … I just let it happen … Sometimes we affirm them by putting quiet faith in their ability to handle something.”

Fiction Review: The Grand Tour Series

Hey fiction lovers! I recently read a great historical fiction series by Lisa Bergren called The Grand Tour.

Lisa is quite skilled at not only telling a good story but writing in a compelling manner. She has many books out, including some YA and children’s stories. While this series was a little long for me, I really enjoyed the journey of self-discovery, and of course, love!

If you like historicals set in the early twentieth century, or the show ‘Downton Abby’, then you’ll enjoy this series.

Here is a brief rundown of all three stories.

Glamorous Illusions: When Cora Kensington learns she is the illegitimate daughter of a copper king, her life changes forever. Even as she explores Europe with her new family, she discovers that the most valuable journey is within. The first book in the Grand Tour series takes you from the farms of Montana through England and France on an adventure of forgiveness, spiritual awakening, and self-discovery.

 

Grave Consequences: For Cora, the journey of a lifetime takes unexpected twists. As her European tour with her newfound family takes her through Austria, France, and Italy, an unseen enemy trails close behind. Meanwhile, a forbidden love continues to claim her heart, putting everyone’s plans in danger.

And as Cora stays one step ahead of it all, what might need the most protection is her own heart, torn between the dramatic pursuit of a dashing Frenchman and a man who has been quietly staking claim to her affections all along. Love has dangers all its own. She must escape the bonds of the past and discover the faith to make the right choices, as each one has grave consequences.

Glittering Promises: Hounded by journalists chasing the beguiling story of the newest American heiress, Cora fights to remain true to her past, reconcile her present, and still embrace her future. But as Will struggles with her newfound wealth, she begins to wonder if their love is strong enough to withstand all that threatens to pull them apart.

Complicating matters is the stubborn pursuit of Pierre de Richelieu and the increased demands on her time and attention. Cora must stand up for what she believes—regardless of how that might challenge current family and cultural norms—in order to remain true to who she really is.

And as she glimpses the end of the tour, Cora knows it’s time to decide Who and what defines her … and who and what does not.

Why Did the Vikings Pillage and Plunder?

I spent the weekend finishing up the rough draft of my second Viking manuscript and started getting excited about my series. I can’t wait to share it with you! But for now, here’s a few tidbits about why the Vikings raided….

(The image above was used with permission from Alaskan cartoonist Chad Carpenter and Tundra Comics.)

The Viking age is typically described as a violent time in world history because of all the raids. The attacks, rather than the daily life and culture, seem to be the focus of most historical documentation. The Vikings were clearly skilled warriors who were very tough and intimidating (even without horned helmets!)

However, I found as I did more research for the backdrop for my novels that the understanding of this period and culture is slowly evolving. The more current archaeological findings paint a more ‘passive’ picture of the Vikings who considered family relations a priority.

Clearly the Viking Age was wrought with violence. So why attack and conquer, pillage and plunder? Was it merely due to greed and the desire for power? Scholars can’t seem to pinpoint one exact reason, but from the information I’ve read, there are three common suppositions.

1)      The search for greater wealth. The Vikings came to realize the only way to expand was to leave their homeland and begin trading goods with other countries. Rather than simply trading, they decided to stay and take over some of the places they visited.

2)      The sense of adventure. The Vikings may have grown tired of their simple life and longed for more. Their curiosity and bravery took them to places they’d never been, and each discovery fed their desire to see more.

3)      The necessity of more quality land. The Vikings were mostly farmers and shepherds. The amount of fertile land available in Scandinavia is limited, so in order to expand and meet the needs of the population, they had to find additional land.

I personally think it was probably a combination of all three. Please comment below and share your thoughts on why the Vikings raided other villages and countries!

And join me in a couple weeks for my next post about Vikings – and their ships!

(For other posts Viking posts click here)

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Disclaimer: Please note that I don’t claim to be an expert on Vikings! I’ve done  a lot of research as a backdrop for my upcoming novels, and I simply wish to express my interpretation of the information I’ve learned. My goal is to dispel the myths and create a better understanding of the Viking people. If you feel I’ve misinterpreted any of the facts, please send me an email!

©Jen Cudmore 2014, All Rights Reserved

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Resource: Praying for Your Husband From Head To Toe

A few months back I realized my prayers for my husband had become stagnant. When he was working two jobs and barely sleeping, I prayed constantly. But now that he’s home in the evenings with the family, the urgency lessened, and unfortunately, so did my prayer support.

At God’s prodding, I set out to find more resources to inspire me to be more consistent. The books I had been using for year seemed redundant. In my searching, I found a couple great books I want to share with you.

The first one is from Sharon Jaynes, author of Becoming the Woman of His Dreams (that one is on my To-Read list now!) She worked for 10 years as vice-president of Proverbs 31 Ministries and has written nearly 20 books. Her site says: Her passion is to encourage, and empower women to walk in courage and confidence as they grasp their true identity as a child of God and a co-heir with Christ.

Because there are so many prayer resources out these days, my agent told me all new books must have a unique approach.

Sharon’s approach is fantastic! Her book is titled Praying for Your Husband From Head To Toe, and she lists out several body parts to pray over – for 30 days! She covers the mind, eyes, ears, mouth, neck, shoulders, heart, back, arms, hands, ring finger, side, sexuality, legs, knees and feet.

She explains how each body part represents something different in a man’s life. For example, the head represents what he thinks about, so she provides 30 scriptures that talk about godly thoughts. I was fascinated by all the scriptures she turned into prayers!

What I love most is how Sharon explains that wives are called to be warriors – it’s not just a job for men! God wants us to fight alongside our man and uplift him. Life is tough, and our husbands need our prayer support.

Sharon says that as a woman, you are are “uniquely fashioned and supernaturally equipped to do battle on your knees in prayer for your marriage and your man.”

For more information about the book, check out her site: SharonJaynes.com. I also really like reading her blogs.

So, what do you say? Are you willing to pray for your man from head to toe?

 

 

Comfort for the Broken-Hearted

Last week my heart hurt so bad I could hardly breathe. Various issues had accumulated all at one time, overwhelming my soul and squashing my confidence.

Weary to the bone, I went about preparing for work. I mechanically made breakfast and lunch for my children and sent them off to school. My brain was so overwhelmed, I just reacted.

I tried to pray. I tried to read my Bible. That’s where we get strength to face life’s struggles. But I couldn’t focus, so I went about my daily tasks as usual.

Half my day passed in a fog. I told myself I’d just wait it out, because God would never leave me or forsake me. He knows me, he sees my pain, and no words were necessary. Soon I’d be back to normal and then I could talk with Him.

When I was a teen, Mama told me that God hurts when we hurt. She said He comforts us if we let Him, and sometimes it helps to visualize Him there, perhaps holding your hand or wrapping His arms about you.

Psalms 34:18 says “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

After Mama died, quite a few times I felt Jesus rubbing my shoulder or sitting beside me while I cried myself to sleep at night. I didn’t have to face my pain alone, even when I was physically alone.

Knowing the comfort I had experienced in the past, I tried to think of that last week as my day progressed. God gave me an image of myself sitting with my arms about my bent legs, my forehead on my knees in what I call a defeated position. I was so weary I could not even stand. But I sensed a presence, and I felt a warm hand holding onto mine. No words were spoken, but He was there, feeling my pain.

He loves me. No matter what others think of me, no matter what mistakes I make. And He never wastes a hurt. He allowed me to endure that pain for a reason. Maybe just to remind me that He’s always there and that I can rely on Him, no matter what happens.

I’m so glad there is hope! God mends hearts. And He makes them stronger!

 

2014 Prayers: Raising Godly Daughters

Theme: Family

“God, please make my daughter a woman of grace, so that like Christ, she will show favor & kindness to the undeserving. May she grow into a woman who exudes God’s beauty & virtue. Give her a healthy view of her body, & may she dress modestly with decency & propriety (1 Tim 2:9).

“May she cling to the promise that she is “wonderfully made” no matter what the world says. (Pslm 139:14). Protect her from the influence of the world so that she might resist rather than conform (Rom 12:2). May her beauty not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles & the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes.Rather, from her inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle & quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight(1Peter 3-4).”

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For more encouraging prayers, click here to see what’s been posted recently.

(Photo courtesy of FreeRangeStock.com)